Baltimore March 1st 1777
Gentelmen
I this Day Recd Yours of the 17 Inst [sic] 2 in which You write me You want Flower & Pig Iron but with the Advise of Mr Hancock I have given up the thoughts of Loding her With Flower & Iron for home as there was no prospect of her giting out and then the Flower wold be worse[n Jing on hand and Tobacco wold be Better I Tryd all in my power to perswade the Master and Men to prosede the Voige to France but without success but I have shipt as good A Master as any here Capt [Francis] Robins which out [sic was] master of A Brig from Boston belonging to Mess[r]s Andrews Foster & Ingraham, Consignd to me and fel in with Pyrets and was Taken in the Bay and sot onshore after burning his Brig I have the Offer of as many men as I want but there Wagers will be higher than the others was shipt for I shall Endever to Ship them to have there Discharge in France as my Orders is to have the Brig sold in France Mr Pliarne has Given me Orders to Consign the Brig to Messrs J Gruel & Co Merchts In Nants he showd me his Agrement with You which I thought proper to Obay his Orders as I was dezired by You to Advise & Consult with him and shall Consign the Brig according to his Orders I have got about one thurd of her Cargo On board & purchesd the wind has held so to the North that the Craft has not bin able to Cum up with Tobacco this 10 or 15 Days If the Men of war should Leve the bay before I have her Loded I will gow down in her to Pertomeck and finsh Loding her as Sune as possiable I shall do all in my power for the Interest of the Consernd all the Vessels that is Loded is gown Down to Try to Git out we here there is but one Man of War lays on the Tale of the Hors shew from [&c.]
Holton Johnson
1. Mass. Arch., vol. 152, 80, Board of War Letters, 1776-1777.
2. Mass. Arch., vol. 151, 42, Letters from the Board of War, 1776-1780.